Batteries are used as portable energy sources in an increasing number of applications. From mobile phones and laptop computers to motor vehicles and drones, batteries enable a plethora of devices to operate independently from immobile energy sources, at least for a limited time. Of course, as these devices become larger and more complex, more energy is required from the batteries that operate them. In particular, electric vehicles impose high demands on the batteries they run on, and the control of those batteries (e.g. charging and recharging schemes) can greatly affect the amount of energy the vehicle (or other device) may ultimately draw from the battery.
Batteries accumulate and store electric charge when they are connected to an external energy source, and then release that charge to a load (e.g. a mobile phone) to provide the energy needed to power the device. The amount of energy a battery can safely hold is commonly referred to as the battery capacity. Battery capacity is dependent, in part, upon the mass and makeup of active material contained in the battery cells (e.g., the materials that make up the anode, the cathode, and/or the electrolyte). In an effort to preserve the chemistry of a given battery, conventional battery management systems and/or conventional battery charging schemes do not exploit the full potential of modern batteries. In view of these drawbacks, there exists a long-felt need for systems and methods that enable modern rechargeable batteries to operate at higher capacity.